Mariah Carey: The road to 'Idol'

Richard Haro/ For the Times, Jon Levy / AFP

After hearing Mariah Carey's demo, Sony Music executive Tommy Mottola, left, helped launch Carey's career. The two went on to marry. Rumor has it that at their wedding, it took six women to carry the monstrous train of Carey's gown. The couple would split in 1998. MORE: 'Mariah' Climbs the Chart

After hearing Mariah Carey's demo, Sony Music executive Tommy Mottola, left, helped launch Carey's career. The two went on to marry. Rumor has it that at their wedding, it took six women to carry the monstrous train of Carey's gown. The couple would split in 1998. MORE: 'Mariah' Climbs the Chart (Richard Haro/ For the Times, Jon Levy / AFP)

Mariah Carey's 1990 self-titled debut album received popular acclaim and became a chart-topping album for 1991. Carey was also nominated in several categories at the 1991 Grammy Awards and won for female pop vocal performance and new artist.

Mariah Carey's 1990 self-titled debut album received popular acclaim and became a chart-topping album for 1991. Carey was also nominated in several categories at the 1991 Grammy Awards and won for female pop vocal performance and new artist. (Twentieth Century Fox)